Means for converting kerosene-oil into explosive gas for internal-combustion engines.



E. D..CLARK. MEANS FOR CGNVERTING KEROSENE OIL INTO EXPLOSIVE GAS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.y APPLICATION FILED MAR` I3, 1916.

Patented J an. 2, 1917.

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ERVING D. CLARK, 0F SYBACUSE, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOB. CONVERTING KEROSENE-OIL INTO ,EXPLOSIVE GAS FOR INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application led March 13, 1916. Serial No. 83,966.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERVING D. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Converting Kerosene-Oil into Explosive Gas for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for converting kerosene and other heavy oils into explosive mixtures for internal combustion engines, and has for its object to provide a novel, simple and inexpensive mechanism for attachment to any of the well-known types of engines, whereby the common kerosene or coal-oil used for illuminating purposes may be converted into an effective explosive mixture for driving the engines.

A further object is to provide novel and simple means comprising a number of chambers which are associated with the exhaust manifold for preheating a relatively large volume of air to be supplied to the carbureter` at a temperature suliiciently high to absorb and vaporize the kerosene oil supplied by the carbureter.

A further object is to provide an electric heating coil which is disposed vbetween the air chambers and the carbureter for initially heating the air for starting the engine when the latter is cold. And a further ob- 'ect is to provide means for injecting primlng charges of the fuel into one or more of the air passages ahead of the carbureter and upon the heating coil for generating hot gas f becomes hot enough to suitably heat the air for starting the engine after intervals of idleness and for continuing the operation of the engine until the exhaust manifold in the chambers.

The various features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detailed description which follows, and reference to the accompanying drawing, 1n which- Figure 1 is a side elevation and partial section, the section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2. is a transverse vertical sectionsubstantiall on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

certain parts being in elevation.

In the drawing, 2 represents 'the several linde'rs of one type of internal combustlonengine, to which my invention'. 1 s shown applied, each having intake ports 3 and exhaust ports 4.

My improvement is intended for attachment, with a few necessary changes, to all types of gas engines, and consists of the following parts or mechanism: 5 represents the exhaust manifold, which connects by suitable branches 6 to the several ports 4, the discharge of the exhaust taking place at 7. Through the center of the manifold 5 I dispose an air pipe or chambered part 8, which is open at one end 8 for the admission of a1r.

9 represents a casing or shell, either cast or otherwise fitted around the exhaust manifold 5, for providing a second air chamber, extending substantially the length of the manifold. The correspondingl end 9 of chamber or casing 9 is also open for the admission of air. The air drawn from the atmosphere into the chambers 8 and 9 is heated by the exhaust and thence passes downwardly through pipes or passages 10 and 11, which connect respectively with the closed ends of the chambers, and then discharge the hot-air into a common conductor or receiving chamber 12, from which the the form of a shallow cup 17, which receives the successive charges of the oil 19 from the annular chamber 14. The tube 17 extends downwardly through a central passage or opening 20 in the tank 14, and through and below the L 13, and its lowerend is threaded internally. 21 represents the needle-valve, having a stem 22, which extends downwardly through the tube 17, its lower end being threa ed Vfor adjustment and having a handle 23 for manipulating the valve. he lower end of the chamber 20, which may form one armof the L 13, receives the hot-air from the pipe or chamber 12. The hot-air thence passes or is drawn upwardly by the Suction of the engine, vand discharges into the gas-intake manifold 25, having branches 26 and 26 for connection with the several cylinders 2. A throttle 27 of the usual form is disposed in the upper portion of the passage 20 just above the fuel cup 17.

I have described with some particularity the carbureter shown in the drawing,I but I do not wish to be limited to any special type of mechanism.

To start the engine after an interval of idleness, when everything is cold, I provide an` electric coil 28 of relatively high resistance wire, and dispose said coil in the chamber or passage 12, preferably directly beneath the lower end of the air pipe 11, the

v pipe 12 being lined with mica 12 to prevent short circuiting. The ends of the wire 28 pass upwardly through insulators 29, which pierce the pipe 12, and connect with an electric battery (not shown). When the current is switched on to the coil 28, the latter. instantly becomes red-hot, and heats -the air in'the pipe 12, before it is drawn into the carbureter. To generate the gas for the preliminary charges, a small quantity of priming fluid, preferably consisting of a mixture of kerosene and gasolene, obtained from a smalltank 30, which may be mounted on the inside of the dash of an automobile, or at any other .convenient place. The priming mixture is preferably carried to the pipe 11 by a pipe 51, one end of which connects with the tank 30, while the opposite end enters the piipe 11. A valve 32 may be located at o1 near the tank 30 for controlling the priming iuid. The oil from tank 30 is dro ped upon the hot coil 28, which is'tant y vaporizes the oil, and the latter is then absorbed by the hot air and sucked through the passage 20 and intake manifold 25 into the cylinders 2 where it is exploded. After the engine has operated a few strokes, the exhaust manifold 5 becomes sufiiciently hot to heat the air in the chambers or pipes Sand 9 without the aid of'the coil 28, and thecurrent Ymay then be turned off. As soon as the air in chambers 8 and 9, pipes 10, 11 and 12 is raised to the proper temperature, the kerosene oil supplied by the carbureter and exposed in the cup 17 becomes absorbed by the preheated air as the latter is sucked upwardly through the chamber 20, and an effective ex- .plosive gas is formed for driving the engine.

'Kerosene oil is much less volatile than gasolene or naphtha, and when the kerosene oil wells-upl in the cup 17 unlike gasolene which almost instantly vaporizes, the kerosene oil scarcely vaporizes at all.- But when the hotair, as described, passes-through the carbureter, completely envelopin the needle-valve and' cup 17 it absorbs the erosene and instantly forms -a highly explosive mixture which drives the engine. The kero'- vinggiwith the receiving means.-

sene oil is richer in hydrocarbon than gasolene and when properly carbureted or vaporized through the absorption of the oil y the hot-air yields more power than the gasolene fuel in common use. Owing to the lower volatilization of the kerosene and the distillates, a relatively large volume of the preheated air is required to eEect the perfect vaporization of the kerosene, while good gasolene mixture may be produced by air at normal temperatures. In practice I heat the air which is drawn through the chambers 8 and 9 to a temperature above 150 Qr 160 Fahrenheit, and when so heated the air readily absorbs the relative small quantity of the kerosene oil held by the cup 17. This absorption of the kerosene by the hot-air, together with the strong and rapid inhalations of the engine converts the relatively heavy fuel into the nest atoms or vapor, which readily ignites and burns without perceptible odor or smoke. For converting the kerosene, the volume of hot-air must be many times greater than is required for gasolene. This feature will be readily apparent by reference to the drawing, which shows the relatively large and free passages 12 and 20. The only regulative feature I- employ is the throttle 27, which alone may restrict or reduce the volume of the mixture or gas which may be sucked into the engine. But the throttle does not restrict the proportions of the `air and the fuel.

Itis essential in carrying out my invention that the temperature of the air be considerably in excess of that usually employed in connection with gasolene and other light or more volatile fuel oils. I find that when cold or only slightly heated air is supplied to the carbureter, it yields a poor mixture and consequently little power. By utilizing v the hot exhaust manifold, as herein shown and described, I amable to obtain hot-air in suitable volume in a simple manner without extra expense, and. exce t when the cold engine is first started` this iiot-air supply is continuous and abundant. The chambers 8 and 9 are always open to the atmosphere, and as fresh air is constantly bein drawn into said chambers by the suction 0% the engine, there is no danger of the air suppliedv to the carbureter being overheated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newV and desire to secure by Letducting air to be heated -lryfthe heating element, a receiving means communicating with all of said hot air chambers, means for v feeding a priming fluid to one ofthe hot air chambers, a heating coil for vaporizing the priming fluid, l@and a carbureter communicatminne? 2. The combination With a conduit for the passage of a heating element, of an air conducting means for conveying air to be heated by the heating element, means discharging a priming Huid in the air conducting means, a heating coil for vaporizing said priming Huid, and a conducting pipe for delivering said vaporized priming Huid and the heated air to a carbureter, substantially as described.

3. rThe combination of a conduit for the passage of a heating element having an air chamber passing through its center, an independent air chamber enveloping the same,

the corresponding ends of said chambers being open to receive incoming air to be heated by the'heating element passing through the conduit, a receiving chamber common to both of said hot air chambers, a priming nozzle in one of said hot air chambers, a heating chamber at a point Where the priming chamber communicates therewith for initially vaporizing the priming Huid, a carbureter, and means connecting the receiving chamber with the carbureter.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

ERVXNG D. CLK., 

